Union Mine High School - College Information

College Information

Basic College Information:

Four-Year Colleges and Universities generally have similar requirements:
- Students must complete A - G requirements with grades of C or higher
- Students must apply online
  - usually apply in the fall or early winter
  - usually includes an application fee

Four Year Colleges:

The UC system hosts 9 undergraduate universities
- Research facilities
- Highly competitive - see admit profiles
- Larger class sizes than CSU
- The UC uses a comprehensive review of their application, meaning that there are many factors that contribute to admissions, beyond grades and test scores.
Apply Online - beginning August 1st. Applications are submitted October 1- November 30.
- Requires responses to 4 out of 8 personal insight questions
  - Personal insight question worksheet
- A pplication worksheet - check out the worksheet on page 5!
- Extensive application with listing of activities, awards and extracurricular activities
- No letters of recommendation are needed for the UC
- Do not submit a transcript at time of application
- Assist.org (search for majors at the UC)

The CSU system hosts 23 campuses statewide
- E xplore campuses
With the exception of Cal Poly SLO, and San Diego State, the CSUs are not as selective as the UCs.
CSUs offer students the following:
- Less costly education
- Easier access than UCs
- More of a practical education; not as heavy in the research as the UCs

Apply online
- Applications open October 1 and are due November 30th
- Self-report coursework and grades
- No letters of rec or personal statements
- No activities and award listings needed
- Do not submit a transcript at time of application
Admissions
Websites for more information
- CalState.edu
- Assist.org (search for majors at the CSU and UC)

Check out the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities at aiccu.edu for information about private schools in California.
Private schools come in various sizes, philosophies, academic standards, specialties, etc.
Private schools can tend to be more expensive than public colleges, but also tend to have more money to give away.
Smaller student-to-teacher ratios
4-year graduation rates
Many private schools utilize the Common App for their application
- Requires a listing of activities and awards
- Requires a personal statement
  - L ist of prompts
- Requires at least two letters of recommendation
- Deadlines depend on the school you are applying to
For schools not utilizing the Common App, check the college website for an 'apply' link.

Check out the amazing opportunities that abound outside of California
The Western Undergraduate Exchange, or WUE, is the opportunity for students in the western states to receive a reduced out-of-state tuition at participating WUE colleges
- Each school differs in the criteria for obtaining a WUE agreement, so check carefully
- WUE usually brings tuition down to 1.5 times the normal in-state tuition for the selected college
- Click HERE for a list of WUE schools.
Cost of living is usually cheaper out of state, so even though tuition may be higher, the total cost of attendance is usually between the cost of attending a UC and a CSU
Most out-of-state schools guarantee a four-year graduation rate!
Apply online via Common App (see info above, under Private Schools), or via the application link on your college's website.

Websites

College Searches
- College Navigator - narrow your search by major, zip code, and many other factors when choosing colleges to apply to
- Assist.org - useful in finding which CSUs and UCs have certain majors
- BigFuture - Collegeboard's college search engine
- College Scorecard - Government site that lists cost, retention, etc